This simple but profound revelation struck me while reading a book I highly recommend, Filming G

The revelation is: God loves me so much He wants to doodle with me. God loves you too!

Here are the final pages of the IDENTITY journal:

If you've been following my blog recently, you know I've been doing a journal study on IDENTITY and the book of Ephesians. Honestly, I've been wrestling this week with the inconsistency of who God says I am and the person I see I am. I don't always look, feel, think or behave like the person God made me to be. I get frustrated and ask, "WHAT NOW?" The answer came:

"...let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes..."

The word

let

got my attention flashing in my head with color: Do this! Let the Spirit! A kind of relief really. I can't do it. On my own I'm simply not good enough. Some people say relying on Jesus or trusting in God is a crutch. No, not a crutch... so much more. For me -  it's everything. I am humbled and open, knowing I cannot do life without Jesus. Even with the angst of this week I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude right now. 

"let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 

Put on your new nature, 

created to be like God

 - truly righteous and holy... 

be kind to each other, tenderhearted, 

forgiving one another, 

just as God through 

Christ has forgiven you."

- Ephesians 4:24,32 NLT

Last left page of the IDENTITY Journal with flap from previous page open

Detail of Ambassador of Heaven with flap from previous page closed

As I read Ephesians 6:10-20, I was reminded that the Apostle Paul was writing while confined and accompanied by a roman soldier. He used the metaphor of armor to describe the spiritual strength we have access to and need through Christ (listed above the board). A number of years ago, I researched what the armor may have looked like and did a drawing of it. For this journal, I reduced the drawing of the armor, cut it out and glued it on the background with matte medium. As Rob Davey points out in his podcast, the instruction to "stand" is given the most. Also, our only offensive weapon is the sword, God's word for the significant moment.

"A final word: 

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 

Therefore, put on every piece of Gods armor s

o you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. 

Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth 

and the body armor of God's righteousness. 

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News 

so that you will be fully prepared. 

In addition to all of these hold up the shield of faith 

to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 

Put on salvation as your helmet, 

and take the sword of the Spirit, 

which is the word of God. 

- Ephesians 6:10, 13-17 NLT

Above all, the key is love. It begins with knowing God loves each individual as if they were the only one. I'm still trying to grasp that. One of my very favorite verses needed to be included on this page:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers,

neither height nor depth, 

nor anything else in all creation

will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

- Romans 8:38-39

If you would like more information about this study on Identity please visit:

http://myfreedominchrist.blogspot.com/

To listen to the I

dentity 

podcasts on iTunes by Rob Davey from Jubilee Church please visit:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/jubilee-church-solihull/id439668116?mt=2